Nitrate removal from the effluent of a fertilizer industry using a bioreactor packed with immobilized cells of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas stutzeri</Emphasis>and<Emphasis Type="Italic">Comamonas testosteroni</Emphasis>

A bioreactor for the removal of nitrate nitrogen (NO₃-N) from industrial effluent is described which is comprised of a glass column (60 cm × 6 cm) packed with alginate beads containing denitrifying organisms Pseudomonas stutzeri and Comamonas testosteroni. The effluent containing high concentrations of nitrate (600–950 mg l^–1) from the fertilizer industry and fusel oil (methanol as a major component) as organic carbon were used in the process. The reactor is operated in the continuous mode by injecting the pretreated nitrate-containing effluent at the top of the column. The Hydraulic retention time (HRT) was adjusted by changing the flow rates. When nitrate-containing wastewater was treated with immobilized cells, the nitrate removal rate reached a maximum 1.66 ± 0.07 Kg NO₃-N m^–3d^–1 at an influent NO₃-N concentration of 850 mg NO_3M-N l^–1within 12 h. The denitrification activity of the immobilized cells was compared with that of the free cells.     

Molecular detection and diversity of medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates-producing bacteria enriched from activated sludge

AIMS: Knowledge of the species composition of complex bacterial communities is still very limited. The main objectives of this study were to identify medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHAs)-producing bacteria from activated sludge fed with methanol as well as to characterize their PHA operon. METHODS AND RESULTS: The identification was based on PCR amplification of mcl-PHA synthase gene fragments. In the analysed sample, four isolates possessing mcl-PHA synthesis systems were distinguished. The results of a 16S rDNA sequence analysis revealed that three strains belonged to Pseudomonas species and the fourth one was characterized as Comamonas testosteroni. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that the PCR-RFLP approach is an excellent way to identify mcl-PHA-synthesizing micro-organisms. The discovery of 4 genetic variants, among the 20 analysed, demonstrates that microbial diversity of activated sludge is high and thus offers a great opportunity for the discovery of novel gene forms. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: An important discovery of this study is that C. testosteroni could harbour mcl-PHA operon. Moreover, the results obtained indicate that PHAs synthesis ability can be spread by horizontal gene transfer. The results of a comparative phylogenetic analysis revealed that mcl-PHA-synthesizing bacteria can be divided into Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa groups.     

Degradation of p-toluidine by Pseudomonas testosteroni

Abstract A bacterium, which utilizes p -toluidine as sole source of carbon and energy was isolated from soil. The bacterium was identified as Pseudomonas testosteroni .
From enzymatic studies we propose the following pathway for the degradation of p -toluidine: p -toluidine is oxidatively converted to 4-methyl-catechol, which is then cleaved by a meta -pyrocatechase to 2-hydroxy-5-methyl- cis-cis -muconate semialdehyde.     

A microfluidic gradient mixer-flow chamber as a new tool to study biofilm development under defined solute gradients

Understanding the dynamics of biofilm development in response to chemical cues and signals is required toward the development of controllable biofilm-mediated bioprocesses. In this study, we report a new biofilm growth system that integrates a microfluidic gradient mixer with a biofilm growth chamber. The biofilm growth system allows biofilms to grow under defined solute gradients and enables nondestructive monitoring of the biofilm development dynamics in response to the defined gradients. The solute gradients generated in the system were simulated and then validated experimentally. We then demonstrated the applicability of the biofilm growth system in studying biofilm development under defined solute gradients. Specifically, we examined biofilm development of Shewanella oneidensis and Comamonas testosteroni under a defined calcium and nitrate gradient, respectively. Using two C. testosteroni strains (WDL7 and I2), we further demonstrated the applicability of our biofilm growth system to study the development of coculture biofilms under a defined solute gradient. Our results show that the biofilm growth system we have developed here can be a promising tool to reveal the dynamics of biofilm development in response to chemical cues and signals as well as the interorganism interactions in coculture biofilms.     

Biodegradation of phenol and chlorophenols with defined mixed culture in shake-flasks and a packed bed reactor

Pseudomonas testosteroni CPW301 degraded phenol and 4-chlorophenol simultaneously, but degradation rates of these compounds were affected by 4-chlorophenol. Phenol increased the cell concentration and therefore the degradation efficiency of 4-chlorophenol was improved. Pseudomonas solanacearum TCP114 could degrade only 2,4,6-trichlorophenol. A defined mixed culture of P. testosteroni CPW301 and P. solanacearum TCP114 could treat phenol, 4-chlorophenol, and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol completely and overcome the inhibition of substrates to other microorganisms. The degradation capacity of the packed bed reactor (PBR) was higher than that of the continuous stirred tank reactor, but the PBR was unsuitable for oxygen-sensitive microorganisms.